Chef Lindsey Atchison

My journey as a chef began in North Florida in the 1990s. While most kids were watching cartoons, I was captivated by cooking shows featuring Julia Child, Yan Can Cook, and my ultimate favorite, "Great Chefs, Great Cities" on the Discovery Channel. This show, filmed in featured restaurants, mesmerized me with the mannerisms and techniques of the chefs and the vibrant energy of commercial kitchens.

Even as a child, I loved playing cooking show and restaurant. My mom graciously supported my dreams, playing along as I set up my mise en place in individual ramekins and bowls, announcing each step to an imaginary audience in our finest British accents. At my friend Kristin's house, I would set up the kitchen and patio for service, using a typewriter as a cash register, with Kristin as the server, featuring Hamburger Helper as the main and only course. At just five years old, I knew that being a chef was my calling.

In eighth grade, I got my "big break." I found a small café I could bike to after school and begged the chef to hire me and teach me to cook professionally. After weeks of pestering, he reluctantly agreed, and I've been running kitchens ever since. From my humble beginnings in Florida, where I learned the ropes and foundations of professional cooking, I embarked on a quest to gain as much culinary knowledge as possible. I traveled throughout the United States, learning regional cuisines and working my way up through the ranks.

Despite gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience, I felt something was missing. I had many questions and wanted to connect the dots of everything I had learned. I believed that to become a well-rounded chef, I needed formal training and an education specializing in culinary arts. After a few lackluster attempts at local culinary programs in my hometown, I enrolled at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. This education answered my burning questions, set me on a path of confidence, and helped me hone my skills in the ways I had observed on television as a kid.

The journey was winding, but I eventually received my Associate's Degree in Occupational Studies from the Culinary Institute and an internationally accredited Bachelor of Technology Degree in Hospitality Management from CUNY's New York City College of Technology. Over the past 25 years, I have been fortunate to work in famous restaurants and five-star resorts from New York City to Hawaii and the Bahamas. I have had the honor of working with Michelin-star chefs and cooking for notable figures like reggae legends Don Carlos and Stephen Marley, and comedian Kevin Hart.

Notable Establishments Where I Have Worked:

- Cap's on the Water, Vilano Beach, Florida

- The Ritz Carlton, Kapalua Bay, Maui, Hawaii

- Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi, Kapalua Bay, Maui, Hawaii

- A Slice of Humboldt Pie, Arcata, California

- Morimoto's, New York City, New York

- Paranza, The Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas